We check in with people at each stage of the cash transfer process to see how things are going. Take a look at some of their stories as they appear here in real-time.
Learn more about how recipients opt in to share their stories.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($461 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I am planning to invest more in dairy farming. This will be an important source of income for my family because now I only have one dairy cow which is solely for household consumption.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, does well to eradicate poverty in our community. This can be seen from the Iron roofed houses and dairy cows that my neighbors built and bought respectively.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a father of one and have been working as a vegetable supplier for the past three years. Until recently, when I got a white-collar job. My monthly profits as a vegetable supplier range from KES 30,000 to KES 50,000.
Recently, when the second GiveDirectly transfer landed I saw this as an opportunity to pay my wife's dowry. This is because I had desired to pay it for the past five years but I wasn't prepared financially. I, therefore, spent 80 percent of the transfer on the purchase of a dairy cow in addition to the ones I bought using my vegetable income and used as bride price.
Additionally, I used the remaining 20 percent as church tithe. Just I did when I received the first transfers.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($484 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 6.30am when I woke up and while trying to check time that is when I saw KES55000 from GiveDirectly. The money I was eagerly waiting for and I was very excited because I had never received any financial aid in my life.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life in my daily life since I started receiving the transfers is purchase of a Asian heifer breed. This is because it is of high quality than the ones I had hence anticipated increase in milk production. Through the GiveDirectly transfers, there's is also reduced dependence from my siblings because they also are beneficiaries of this program.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES10500 on payment of school fees for my daughter in preschool.I also spent KES21000 on a heifer because it will be a long term investment and will act as a memorial gift from GiveDirectly.I also spent KES15000 on restructuring of my dairy farm because I intend to venture more into dairy farming in order to increase my income.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I own two dairy cows which have been helping me meet my family's needs from the sale of milk. However, I have been having a challenge with the feeds, because I do not have proper storage as they get rained on and get spoilt. I plan to spend KES 30,000 to build a storage to store feeds and shelter the cow. The rest of the amount I plan to pay school fee for my wife who started her masters studies this year.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Four months ago, I won a tender of supplying vegetables to a neighboring secondary school. It was one of the greatest financial breakthroughs I had in the recent past. I made approximately KES 100,000 months. From this money, I bought a dairy cow which has been giving me income through the sale of milk.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I graduated four years ago with a Bachelor of Science in information sciences but I'm yet to secure a stable job that could earn me income. My wife is a trained teacher but she is also yet to be employed. I have been doing casual jobs, short-term contracts, and small business to sustain us as she also does the same. The jobs are not sustainable as these contracts are short and sometimes we go unpaid. The main challenge is a lack of stable income.
